Stuck on You
by Lady Kei
Summary: Another of those get K&K togther fics, with a slight twist. After a crazy conspiracy by the rest of the gang, K&K are going to find themselves physically bound togther. No more than three feet apart! This plan HAS to work, right? WARNING:Rating WILL go up
1. Default Chapter

1This is my first ever attempt at a Rurouni Kenshin fic! I was inspired by a book or something I read (you see I read so much I tend to mix some- well lots of things up!) I would give the author(s) full credit for the original idea, but as of now I don't know who they are. If I remember it later, I will be sure to put it up ASAP.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Rurouni Kenshin.. anime or manga, etc, etc...

Stuck on You

Chapter 1- The Meeting

It had been a fairly normal day, and now dusk was slowly settling upon the home of Kamiya Kaoru. She had just finished cleaning up from dinner and a couple of other things. Sano and Megumi, who had spent the day arguing as usual had headed out a couple of hours ago. It was amazing to think that they were in actual relationship at all. Unfortunately he had not yet proposed to her. This is why Megumi was always still so testy with him. Kaoru recalled her words clearly:

"That baka sure is taking his sweet time, and it's not like I'm getting any younger!" Megumi's eye were aflame.

A semi-sad smile appeared across Kaoru's face now. Kenshin had yet to, to put it bluntly, made a move on her, not really anyway. Oh sure, they had their moments, but they were just that. Moments in an endless stream of days. She sighed, Megumi was right, none of them were getting any younger, and it was seriously frustrating her.

Another thing, a more prominent thing was currently grating her nerves. Yahiko had gone off shortly after Sano and Megumi and he still hadn't returned. He had said he was just dropping something off with Tsubame. Puppy love, she could understand that, but he should have been back long ago. Perhaps he was somewhere outside? She decided to go look.

----

"Yahiko! Hey, Yahiko! Where are you? You know you still have to chores to do!!" Kaoru sighed, the kid was impossible. If he thought he could get away without doing his chores, he had another thing coming.

She wandered into the yard in search of Kenshin. The house was just too quiet, where had everyone gone to anyway? Megumi was supposed to be staying a couple of weeks now that she thought about it. What was going on? She turned a corner, momentarily forgetting her search as her mind had begun to wander. "Ooof!" Kaoru bounced back after having walked into a very solid object. She looked up only to see Kenshin carrying a large pile of clean and folded laundry, looking a little thrown off.

"Pardon me, daijabu ka Kaoru-dono?"

She nodded in response. "I'm fine."

"You should really be more careful, de gozaru. I'll have your bath ready in a couple of minutes." He said before he began to walk off again.

"Hey Kenshin." she called after him.

He turned around, "Yes Kaoru-dono?"

"Have you seen Yahiko? He was supposed to have finished his chores by now, but he hasn't come back ome yet, and it looks like he never even attempted to do them." Kaoru frowned, she was just beginning to think that kid could handle some responsibility. He hadn't done anything like this in the longest time.

"Oh don't worry Kaoru-dono, he's probably out somewhere. If you wish, I could take care of his chores for today." It was getting dark out, and it was odd, Yahiko was usually home way before it even began to get dark when he went out. Odd but no reason to jump to conclusions. Kenshin decided it was best not to alert Kaoru to this, she would definitely jump the gun.

"No Kenshin, he will have to do them himself, no matter how late he shows up. He has to learn to take responsibility for his actions. In fact, I think I'll have him do twice the work!" Kaoru smirked in satisfaction at her decree. So she was taking out some of her frustration on the kid, he deserved it in her minds eye.

"Isn't that a little harsh? I'm sure he just got sidetracked in a conversation and has forgotten the time."

Kaoru sighed, maybe Kenshin was right. Yahiko was still going to have to do his chores though, come hell or high water. Kenshin was turning to walk inside when she remembered the other thing that had been bothering her. "Do you know what's up with Megumi? She said she was staying here?"

Kenshin looked back at her, a gave a slight smile, "Don't worry, I'm sure Megumi-san is fine. She may stay with Sano." He left it at that. The relationship of the two was just that, solely between them.

----

Little did either Kenshin or Kaoru know that they (Megumi, Sano, Yahiko, Tae and Tsubame) were all in on one hell of a conspiracy.

"So basically, you're saying this will physically bind them?"

"Yep, that's what I'm saying, it starts gradual, at ten feet, until they can only be about three feet from one another. The effect only wears off once their relationship status is remedied."

Sano slammed a fist down on the low table. "I can't take this crap, I thought we were gonna come up with something realistic! I don't believe in all this crazy voodoo stuff. And to be frank it creeps me out!"

Megumi rolled her eyes, "You just don't like it cause it scares you. I think it's a great idea. The worst that can happen is that it won't work."

"Sorry but I'm with Sano on this, it's just to weird. I can't believe you women actually do this kind of weird stuff. How are we supposed to know you're not all casting some crazy magic on us???" Yahiko raised a brow but he looked more concerned than anything.

Tae just smiled at him. "Don't worry hun, we'd do no such thing. Besides, this is for a greater good, and it's been passed down in my family from generation to generation to help along reluctant couples."

Everyone looked at her quizzically, "I thought you said-"

"Oh never mind what I had said. I guarantee one thing, no one will get hurt. Yahiko, did you bring what I asked?" Tae said getting the stunned kid to answer.

"Uh, yea sure," he handed her the combs, "but why did you need these?"

"For the hair of course."

When Megumi raised a brow, Sano shivered, Yahiko gaped and Tsubame looked genuinely horrified she decided to continue.

"Well see, here's how this work. We will need to mix a hair from each of them with some special herbs. I don't have access to any of them and even if i did I probably wouldn't know how exactly to use them. That's why I need you Megumi, You'll have to do the mixing. Then-"

"So what the heck did you call ALL of us for?" Sano began, "To get our souls condemed to hell???" He shuddered again.

"Shut up you baka and let her finish." Megumi glared at him. He could be so abnoxious at times. He grumbled but stayed put.

"Well Sano, we all need to work together, by giving the space, time, some privacy, and most important of all, I need this, potion of sorts to be put in their tea. That's where you and Yahiko come in."

"What about me?" Tsubame's shy voice came.

"Well you needed to be in on it because you will be Yahiko's excuse to leaving the dojo. I'm sure Megumi and Sano can find their own excuses..." Megumi blushed and Sano suddenly looked quite uncomfortable.

In order to break the awkward silence Megumi spoke, "Well, I'm in. What do I have to do...?"

This conversation carried on for a long while still, it was a little past dusk when Yahiko suddenly leapt up and made a dash for the Kamiya residence. Kaoru would have his head for sure!

----

Well that's it for chapter one. Chapter two is coming soon. R&R please!


	2. Chapter 2

1

OK, I am back with chapter 2, even if nobody reviewed the first! pout I guess it's for my enjoyment alone, oh well.

Disclaimer: I do not own Kenshin... yadda, yadda. Did not create it... (I am not a dude! hence my pn!!!) etc, etc....

Stuck on You

Chapter 2- Morning Surprises

The next morning Yahiko awoke sore and still dead tired. Kaoru had made him do ALL of his chores before he could even think of turning in, not to mention, his head had become a sort of punching bag when he had first arrived. He stretched, painfully. Yahiko wasn't so little anymore, he knew Kaoru only did stuff like that cause she cared, "But does busu really have to hit me that hard?"

He looked around, it was still rather dark out, nobody would be up for at least another half hour. That would give him plenty of time to get to Tae's. Megumi had stayed there making the 'herbal tea'. It was all part of the cover story they had made.

At any rate Yahiko threw on his clothes and snuck off the grounds.

----

Yahiko grit his teeth, this was about the fifth time he had knocked on the door, and no one answered, no one even seemed to stir inside. He began pounding away, "HEY!! YA BUNCH OF OL-"

He was cut off when the door swung open and a hand wrapped around his mouth, effectively shutting him up and dragging him inside.

He flailed around a bit before he was dropped and hit the floor. "Hey! What the hell is wrong with all of you??" He looked up at three very tired, very irrate looking adults. It seems they had just about as much sleep as he did.

"Be quiet! You fool, you wouldn't want to wake your little girlfriend up, she's the only one who's gotten any sleep aro-" Sano's rant was short lived as Yahiko pounced.

"She's not my girlfriend!!!"

"Ah! Get off ya lunatic!!" Sano ran around panicked as Yahiko litteraly tried to bite off his head. "Help get him offa me!!!

Megumi sighed, then lifted the heavy wooden ladle that seemed to have become a permanent attachment to her arm and hit them both hard enough to knock them out.

The two dropped to the ground in a series of thuds and grunts.

"Now then," Tae began, her voice weak, it had been the longest night of her life, "I think we have your attention." She said to the pile of limbs on the floor that had begun to untangle itself.

"Yea go on." Sano said, rubbing his very tender head.

"All you have to do is get them to drink this, preferably around the same time. And that's it, you're done. No more sneaky tasks." Tae said rubbing her temples, Kami was she tired.

Megumi held up the small bottle which contained the specially formulated tea. At the look on Sano's face she had to roll her eyes, "It won't burn you for Kami's sake! Just take it and get out of here quick. Tae and I are going to get some R&R."

"Hey! What about-" Tae put up a hand. "You know Kaoru will have a nice bokken ready if she finds you are nowhere to be found."

That shut him up and the two boys solemnly made their way back.

----

Kaoru was slowly putting together the rice balls. Breakfast was almost done. She was actually quite proud of herself, she had gotten up far before anyone else in order to do this.

Now I know what you're all thinking, 'Oh, poor, poor guys! They're all going to starve!' Not so. Kenshin had been instructing her on how to cook for a couple of weeks now and she finally felt she was ready to give it a shot without his supervision. Hopefully it would turn out all right.

When the light padding of feet came into her hearing she began to panic. Hopefully no one would halt her efforts. Instead of immediately seeing someone she got greeted, well kind of anyway.

"Oi, Kenshin! That food smells great, we're starved!" It was Sano. Why in the world was he here so early. Kaoru could see it now, the looks of horror and utter disgust on their faces when they saw who had made the food.

A vein popped near her temple. "Hey! I don't appreciate being mistaken for a man!" She managed to shout indignantly as both Sano ans Yahiko appeared in the doorway.

When they saw her their spirits plummeted. "Oh man, my luck seems to have gone on vacation." Sano whined, stomach growling.

Yahiko just groaned. "What's wrong with you busu? I thought you had finally learned the kitchen was no place for you."

That was the last straw, Kaoru was on her feet in a flash. "Well guess what? Deal with it, because either you eat this or you starve! Besides, I was under the impression that 'it smells great'." She mimicked.

They looked a little stunned, but they remained quiet. For a half-second. When they began to complain under their breaths and mutter, she sighed. "Just sit down and be quiet. I'll go tell Kenshin breakfast is ready."

Yahiko sat down, but Sano suddenly saw their opportunity. "Hey kid, gimme that tea stuff."

Yahiko glared at him, "I'm not a-"

"I know, sorry I forgot. Just give me that tea already will ya? They'll be back before we know it."

The switch was made hastily as Sano poured the normal tea out the window and replaced it with the 'voodoo tea' as he has so lovingly dubbed it. Just in time too, because Kaoru walked in followed by Kenshin just as he sat down.

As everyone was served Yahiko planned his course of action, perhaps he should just take small, tentative bites to avoid gagging. Then again, that would probably prolong his torture, so when everyone was ready to eat he was the first to stuff a whole portion in his mouth.

Everyone, even Kenshin watched him closely for a reaction. This may be disastrous, and Yahiko was not one for a kind white lie. After a few moments he had swallowed and a look of amazement took over his face. "Wow, that was pretty good."

At Kaoru's beam of joy he had to interject, "For a busu." A loud snap was heard as she produced a bokken from air (or so it seemed) and hit him clean on the head.

Breakfast went pretty well after that. Kaoru was so happy that everyone was actually enjoying her food that she never noticed that neither Sano, or Yahiko had touched their tea.

Kenshin had however, but decided it was simply because they were too busy stuffing their faces. He never once suspected that he was being poisoned, for lack of a better word, as he drank the highly aromatic brew.

----

The day went by smoothly, and Yahiko had begun to think the stupid tea hadn't worked, in a way it was relieveing, then again,, it was another plan foiled.

After he had finished his morning chores, Kaoru had allowed him to go take a nap. The kid looked wiped out, even Sano said he was heading home and probably wouldn't be back for lunch. Very off indeed, but Kaoru had no time to ponder on that one. She had her own dilemma.

All day she had been getting very strong urges to be near Kenshin. Not that she normally didn't want to, but it was abnormally distracting. She could barely concentrate on her work, and she'd find herself walking off in his general direction. 'What the hell is wrong with you Kaoru no baka. You're acting like a lovesick puppy.' A nasty little voice in the back of her mind taunted her saying that she was.

At one point in the middle of trying to read a book, she growled and threw it down. This was pointless, completely pointless. She couldn't even get past one sentence. There must be something seriously wrong with her. She should talk to Megumi. Even she had noticed Kaoru was distracted so she had told her to just try to sit down and relax. 'Well guess what doctor! Your advice isn't working.'

Halfway to the kitchen, (Megumi had offered to make lunch since Kenshin was going to get some things from the garden.) Kaoru stopped and headed outside. Maybe if she spent a little time with him, she would get over her crazy need to follow him around.

----

Kenshin ripped at the weeds that had begun to grow furiously. 'Sessha is losing his mind, de gozaru. I cannot simply walk up to Kaoru-dono and tell her that she cannot leave my side. She would think sessha is crazed, or that she is somehow in danger.' Kenshin sighed and looked at the vegetables, they were almost all destroyed right along with the weeds. 'Perhaps you have just been too long without a woman.' His mind sniggered at him. "Oro?" His eyes widened, "Now I am also losing my concentration. Get a hold of yourself Himura."

He shook his head in an attempt to clear the object of his affection away, but, it was useless.

"Kenshin!"

He jumped almost three feet in the air, "Hai, Kaoru-dono?" He hoped he didn't look as quilty or as relieved as he felt. She walked until she was only an arms length away from him.

"Are you all right Kenshin? You don't look too good." She asked putting a hand to his head. He instantly felt better, like her presence would keep him from losing it.

"Aa, sessha is fine. Do not worry yourself. Did you need anything?"

"No, I just came to see how you were doing." She looked towards the vegetables and he smiled sheepishly. "You sure you're ok Kenshin? Why don't I help you and then we can go inside and see how Megumi's doing."

He nodded. He couldn't speak for fear that he would end up spilling out that he felt better now that she was here, and that would lead to a bunch of rather awkward questions. She already thought he was sick as it was.

Kaoru smiled as she worked to repair what she could of the damage in the garden. Now that she was only a few feet away from him, she was able to concentrate on the task at hand. Kami forbid he knew that her sanity was slipping.

-----------

Ahh!!!I am a horrible writer! And I dare to have criticized others!!!

Anyway, next chapter, lets just say it's going to be one hell of a night in this humble home!


	3. Chapter 3

1Here's Chapter 3!!! Hope ya'll enjoy! Oh and for the benefit of a/the reader(s) I will cut back on some of the Japanese, though not all of it, cause it will spoil some personalities.

A couple things to know:

Sessha: Kenshin's was of addressing himself, kinda like saying 'this unworthy/lowly one.'

daijabu ka?: 'Are you ok?'

So on.... any other specific questions I will answer through email!

Disclaimer: I do not own Kenshin... la dee dee...

Stuck on You

Chapter 3- Mid-Night Crisis

It was that time in the evening when everyone was usually just lazing about, relaxing before going off to bed. Kaoru had gone back to that book she had been trying to read earlier. After having spent most of the day indulging in her insanity, she felt she was back to normal. (Not to mention that she wasn't alone in the sitting room just now, everyone was there, including our buddy Kenshin.)

Megumi kept shifting her eyes from one side of the room to the other. 'I don't get it, they're farther than ten feet apart! But they have been acting kind of funny. I hope Tae knew what she was talking about...' She wore a funny expression, even though she did not notice it. Perhaps she should ask Tae how long this stuff took to kick in.

Kenshin for his part sat off in a corner, sword leaned against his shoulder, head down, eyes closed. He found that Kaoru was hanging around him a lot more than usual today, (not that he minded!), but she kept trying to make the oddest excuses for it. Even worse, when she did leave him, he noticed that he was following her! Something was definitely wrong here, he had just yet to figure it out.

Letting his senses take over as he observed the room without his eyes. The loudest noise was Yahiko's snoring which had begun only a moment ago, but that wasn't what was wrong. He continued to listen. He could hear Kaoru's soft breathing, the lightest rustle of her kimono as she shifted slightly. It wasn't her either. The problem lay deeper than external sounds. It was someone's actual energy, and it was coming from... 'Sano?' Yes, there was something going on with him. He was nervous, and very shifty. His concentration was also a little scattered. 'Now why would... Megumi?' She was emitting vibes of confusion and she was also shifty, even more so than Sano. 'Perhaps it is something between the two of them... yes, that's it.'

Kenshin let his mind come out of that dark space in which he could find more than one would expect. 'Sessha is just a little stressed, and must stop jumping to such conclusions. Everything is fine.' And yet something told him that it simply was not.

Great, now that she could concentrate she found that she really didn't care what the hell the book was about, besides, she kept feeling a pair of eyes on her. She shifted in her seat again. Strange. She ignored the feeling that told her that she should look up. She ignored it until she could ignore it no more. Her head shot up. "Megumi, what's wrong? Is there something on my face?" Megumi had been looking at her with the most interesting face.

Megumi's mouth opened, before she shut it again, only to open with a stupid reply. "Oh, it's nothing, I was just tired."

All eyes fell on Megumi as a small sweatdrop appeared on her forehead, "Well that is, I think I should be going to bed now. Good night Kaoru-chan, Ken-san!" She said, one hand scratching the back of her head as backed out of the room. Several brows were raised, and Sano got up too.

"Yea, I think I'll be heading off too. I'll get the kid to bed for ya." With that he shook Yahiko to get him awake the dragged him away by the arm, following Megumi out.

Kenshin and Kaoru looked at one another then back at the door everyone had practically run through. "What do you suppose that was about?" Kaoru asked.

"I'm not sure." He answered truthfully before giving her a bright rurouni smile. The smile was readily returned as she got up, stretching her hands above her head.

"Well, I guess I should go to sleep too then. How about you? Staying up?" She turned her head to look at him before she left.

"Aa, I am just going to take a quick look around and the-" Kenshin stopped abruptly, a horrible stab of pain shot through him, his eyes were wide open from the shock and suddenness of it. He couldn't breathe.

"Kenshin!!" Kaoru was at his side in an instant. She knelt in front of him, putting a hand to his shoulder, shaking him. "What's the matter? What's wrong?"

As soon as the pain had come it was gone. He took in a grateful breath and looked up at Kaoru's worried eyes. "Se-sessha is fine Kaoru-dona. It was nothing." 'What on earth is happening to me?' he thought rapidly.

Her brow's came together in confusion and slight irritation. "Don't lie to me Kenshin, and stop it with that sessha stuff, couldn't you just say 'I' all of the time? Now something happened to you a moment ago. What was it?"

Kenshin didn't answer, instead just gave a slight smile, running a finger down her cheek before getting to his feet abruptly. This left Kaoru completely flabbergasted. She looked up at him as he moved to walk away from her. "Kenshin, where are you going?"

"To check the grounds before bed. Get yourself to sleep." He was very curt, absolutely not himself.

That was it, Kaoru thought, something was seriously wrong with her rurouni, and she wasn't about to let this go so easily. She got up and followed after him before he was even halfway across the room. "I'm coming with you."

He stopped abruptly, turning to her.

At his look she just smiled impishly and added, "Then I'll go to bed." She could tell he wasn't exactly thrilled with her announcement, but he waited for her to catch up to him before continuing on his way.

----

Their stroll around the grounds was very quiet the first couple of minutes. Neither of them really able to find words to end the rather uncomfortable silence. Kaoru frowned. She and Kenshin almost never had any uncomfortable silences while walking together. The thought just made her feel worse.

"Kaoru-dono..." Kenshin began.

She looked up at him expectantly, perhaps he would go back to normal, she wasn't liking how he had gotten so stern all of a sudden.

They paused mid-stroll. Kenshin seemed to be having trouble with his words, or rather how he planned on phrasing them. He was looking at the ground the entire time. "Sessh-"

"Kenshin." The warning was clear in her tone, even though it was underlined with a slight hint of a beg. "Don't say that."

He took in a breath. She could tell he was somehow battling with himself. "I, think you should just go inside now. It may be for the best, sessha- I, need a little while to myself."

Kaoru was somewhat taken aback. She reached out towards him, in an attempt to get him to look up, "Kens-"

"Just go." He said it quietly, calmly, hell even nicely, but his head had shot up. That was the first thing that startled her, the next was that she could have sworn she saw a flash of amber in his eyes, but the image was gone as quickly as it came and she found her hand had automatically recoiled back.

Kenshin looked at Kaoru as she stared at him unsure, even a little frightened and his violet eyes widened. "Forgive me, Kaoru-dono. I don't know what came over ses-me. Please-"

"No, it's alright. I'll leave you now." She turned abruptly and almost stumbled away. Tears threatening to spill forth. What had she done? Why was he so angry with her?

Kenshin only had a few seconds to wallow in her regret because as soon as she was a little more than ten feet away, a strange unseen force had violently shoved him and he went flying throught the air.

"Ooorrrooooooooooooo...!?!?"

Kaoru stopped to see why the sound seemed to be flying at her. It was! Her eyes widened and all she could do was shield herself with her arms as Kenshin somehow came hurtling towards her.

Just as she could have sworn she was to become a pancake the 'oro' came to a painfully grunted stop. She slowly moved her hands from her face to assess what had happened. At her feet lay Kenshin in quite a heap, swirly-eyed and groaning in pain.

"K-Kenshin? What happened?" She bit her lip, despite her best efforts to try to stay mad at him, she just couldn't. He looked so silly, innocent and injured that it was an impossibility.

He got up after a while, with her help. "I don't know. I was watching you walk away when I found myself being shot through the air..."

Kaoru eyed him skeptically. "Maybe you should go have yourself checked out. You've been acting funny lately."

"No, I am quite serious. It was like I was thrown."

She sighed, "Ok then, why don't you walk back over there and I will stay here. If it happens again then I guess I'll have no option but to believe you."

"If you wish Kaoru-dono." He slumped his shoulders and walked back to where he stood before his flight across the yard. He didn't exactly look forward to another crash landing, but if it would make her believe him...

One more step, he closed his eyes and braced himself and... nothing happened. Well, not until he heard Kaoru's scream as crash-landed at his heels.

"Kaoru-dono! Are you all right?!" He asked, frantically pulling her to her feet.

"Oww..." she moaned rubbing her head. "What on earth was that? Do you suppose it was some invisible force?"

"I don't know. I cannot sense any other presence." Hard as he tried, there was nothing to find. "He looked intently at the darkened trees around them. Nothing. "Alright, listen. Why do we no try walking separate ways at the same time?"

Kaoru nodded. She didn't like the idea of splitting up now that she was freaked out but agreed. After all, this was Kenshin. She should have nothing to worry about. She hoped.

They turned their backs to one another and began the cautious walk. Again, when they were about the same distance away... ZOOM!!

This time they both flew towards one another, and the collision? Not pretty. Tangled limbs, bruises and a couple of winces and 'sorry's' later they were back on their feet again.

They continued this fiasco of trying to get farther away from one another than the ten feet, for the entire night!

End Chapter 3!

(I just couldn't keep it serious for the entire end!)


	4. Chapter 4

1Disclaimer: I am NOT owner of Kenshin....

Stuck on You

Chapter 4: "How in seven hells...???"

Kaoru woke just as dawn was breaking. She tried to stretch as she always did upon awakening, but her limbs refused. Her entire body felt thoroughly abused and sore. For a while she had no idea why, and then it slowly crept back to her. The flights across the yard, the incredibly painful collisions. 'What the hell is going on? I thought it was a dream.'

But as she realized she had woken up in the sitting room, Kenshin sitting across from her in what looked a very uncomfortable position what had happened became clear. After several failed attempts at putting a larger distance between themselves, she must have passed out, 'or been knocked out', she thought, and Kenshin must of done the only thing he could do. He gave up and settled for spending the night in here.

Why didn't he just leave her in her room though, then it struck her. 'Kaoru no baka, our rooms are farther than ten feet in distance. Wait... Why are we even in this mess?! How on earth did this happen?!'

Too many questions flooded her tired brain and she felt a headache coming on. This was all too crazy to be real. 'Don't worry Kaoru, you will soon wake up from this... this.. dream?' She couldn't decide if it was that or a nightmare.

A Slight rustling brought her attention back to the man of the hour. Kenshin was waking, and she couldn't help but wonder what he made of all this.

"Good morning." She managed a momentary smile, but it soon fell away. She hurt so badly and was so tired even that small movement drained her.

"Good morning Kaoru." Both of them seemed to miss his lack of the exceedingly polite 'dono'. Kenshin looked disoriented and quite groggy, obviously he had barely rested. His head pounded, and he could feel the beating his body had taken quite recently.

After what felt to him like eternity his focus cleared and in the growing light of day he could see the extent of the damage on the woman sitting before him. He silently cursed himself, he should have been much more considerate of her well-being. Solving this problem last night had somehow been more important. His eyes glinted for a moment at the thought of what he would do to whomever had done this to them. Only for a moment though, and then it vanished

Kaoru found her frame was slipping forward, she was just that tired. "Kenshin, what are we going to do? I don't think I'm up for another one of those crashes again."

Instead of answering her immediately, he went to her side and let her lean on him for some support before she fell over. "Well, I am not certain, but I suppose we will have to stay relatively close to one another, at least until you've recovered some, and we find out what's going on." He spoke the words in her hair as she had fully relaxed against him.

Kaoru could feel herself drifting off to sleep when suddenly the extent of just how close they were hit her. 'Kami-sama! What if someone walked in?! They would surely get the wrong idea.' Before she knew what she was doing or had time to regret her action, she had sprung away from Kenshin and onto her feet. Not good.

Before Kenshin had a chance to react (her movement so sudden) she crumpled to the floor in pain. Her muscles had literally REFUSED to obey and they objected her sprint to action violently. "Ah..!" The stream of colorful curses that streamed from her mouth as Kenshin saw to it that she was alright were enough to send a sailor running.

A few minutes later, when she was glaring daggers at an unknown spot in the floor, Kenshin finally asked the question that had begun to plague him. "Why did you jump from me so quickly?" He hoped it was not for the reason that he thought.

She looked up at him, his calm face. Her expression went from frustrated, to confused to desperate in mere seconds. "I thought of what the others might think..." At the look on his face she continued, "I mean, how are supposed to explain the we somehow have become.. I don't know... chained to one another."

The blush staining her cheeks scarlet were enough to tell him she wasn't repulsed by the idea of it. Quite the opposite it seemed. Kenshin let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding. Something that had been trying to surface quieted within him. Somehow he felt that something was not a thing that should be released. He pushed that aside however, in light of the new dilemma she had brought to surface. The others.

After a moment he stated simply. "We should tell no one. The less people who know, the better our chances at figuring this out. Whoever or whatever caused this should become impatient with a lack of result and therefore become easier to find."

Kaoru looked outside, the sun was still just rising. "I need a bath..."

Kenshin just looked at her, one brow raised. He had never thought on this aspect of the ordeal, and he wondered how exactly they'd manage this one.

His never wavering gaze bothered her somewhat. There was something slightly perverse in it if she said so herself. Kenshin really was not acting much like himself. So, for the benefit of them both, she attempted to clarify, or at least justify her reason behind it.

"Well, after all that strenuous activity last night I really need one to relax and also get this dirt washed off." She was obviously referring to being slammed into the ground by unseen powers. However she did not miss that particular quirk to his mouth, the semi-suggestive gleam in his eyes and lightest bit of color to his skin. He hadn't truly tried to hide it

"Kenshin no hentai!!" She turned her face defiantly to keep from having to look him in the eye. However, anyone could she had gone pink all the way to her ears.

He smirked inwardly. 'You HAVE been too long without a woman Himura.' Kenshin stopped short, his smirk melted away. 'Where in hell had that come from?' He looked over at Kaoru, the flushed skin of her neck, all the way up to her cheekbone and thought that he was most definitely losing his mind, and he almost, almost, agreed with his first thought. 'Just almost.'

What was up with Kenshin? This was completely unlike him. Kaoru decided to skip on the bath for now and opted just for a change of clothes. She could really use the hot water and wonderful soap to soothe away for soreness, but that would have to wait until later today when Kenshin would go back to the normal Kenshin.

----

After the whole ordeal of having him wait just outside her door as she changed they headed into the kitchen, prepared to face a new day, with a very new situation.

"Why don't you go to bed Kaoru-dono, while I make breakfast, you need the rest."

She gave him a look that clearly said, 'Ha ha, that's a good one, like I'm going to try that.'

A sweatdrop appeared on Kenshin's forehead and he laughed slightly nervous. "Gomen, s-I forgot..."

Kaoru face-faulted. 'How in seven hells could he forget after all that?!?!?!'

-----------------

Ugh! Soooo OOC!! But Kenshin must be! OR my plot won't work because..! Ah... can't tell u that can I?

Well, there's number four for ya! Not too much stuff happening, but it was necessary somehow. ( Don't ask cuz I dunno! ' )

Neways... has no1 noticed the sub-plot.....?????


End file.
